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Video Quality In Final Cut ?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

O

o0BenMc0o

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 9, 2010
36
0
Hi all,

I have come across a problem whilst editing in final cut pro.

When i import from my camera into fcp the video quality looks fine and it is hd and when i play it frame by frame the video quality looks fine, it's just when i play it, the video suddenly drops in quality and goes slightly pixelated.

PLEASE HELP, THIS IS URGENT

Thanks in advance,

- o0BenMc0o
 
That's normal.

Real-Time Playback Versus Rendering

For most stages of editing, reduced playback quality is more acceptable than losing the ability to play back effects in real time. Toward the end of a project, during the “finishing” stages such as color correction and output, you can choose to render at full quality to ensure the best results. For more information, see “Rendering and Video Processing Settings.”
Note: Final Cut Pro always displays real-time previews using 8-bit processing.
Click to expand...

from the Manual, page 1418.


 
Thanks a lot for replying,

So if i render it in full quality will my end export result look better ?

- o0BenMc0o
 
o0BenMc0o said:
Thanks a lot for replying,

So if i render it in full quality will my end export result look better ?

- o0BenMc0o
Click to expand...

Your export will look fine, just the preview is not playing in full quality.
Just make sure to use the right settings during export, they should match your source clip and sequence settings as good as you can.
 
I just exported it and the it is still pixelated,

My camera shoots 1080p and i set the export setting all correctly,

so what's the problem now ? Because it can definitely be higher quality as if you go frame by frame in the fcp file it is the quality it is supposed to be

- o0BenMc0o
 
Do you have any filters applied? Adding a CC filter will often turn your render bar green and to render that you need to use option+R

If you have no filters applied, check you RT playback settings. Your machine may not be fast enough for your source video or mayeb your settings are set too low. Personally when I am doing long form editing I wold rather see (on a slow machine) a dropped frame here and there rather than reduced playback all the time, but that is just me.


EDIT - I guess I was a little slow.
 

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o0BenMc0o said:
I just exported it and the it is still pixelated,

My camera shoots 1080p and i set the export setting all correctly,

so what's the problem now ? Because it can definitely be higher quality as if you go frame by frame in the fcp file it is the quality it is supposed to be

- o0BenMc0o
Click to expand...

What are your timeline settings? Do they match your clip? Create a new timeline, place your clip in it and let the timeline conform to your clips settings (that little window that pops up when you add your first clip) and see if that will elevate your problems.
 

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File > export > quicktime movie is exporting it full res. You are transcoding to h264 doing it the way you are.

But what is important is your sequence settings. Apple+0.
The we need to know what your clip setting is and you can find that in the browser or by opening in quicktime and hitting Apple+J
 
Be in your timeline and hit Apple + 0 (that's a zero) and take a screencap of that window, it will look like this:
attachment.php


The take a screenshot of your clips settings in your browser window so we can see if your clip and timeline settings match:
attachment.php
 

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You need to make your timeline be the same as your clip. it's that simple. And this is usually done automatically when you apply your first clip.
 
What are your clip settings?

The sequence settings are not 1920 x 1080 though, and H264 is not a proper editing codec, ProRes (FCP) or Apple Intermediate Codec (FCE) is.

attachment.php



Btw, you can edit your posts via the
edit.gif
button, or multi-quote posts via the
multiquote_off.gif
button, as sequential posts are "against" the rules.

Minor Problems

6. Sequential posts.
Combine your comments into one post rather than making many consecutive posts to a thread within a short period of time.
 
Plus you shouldn't be editing in h264 as your compression is set there. If your footage IS h264, convert it to Apple ProRes in compressor or mpeg streamclip first and import it back into fcp.
 
Your clip is fine and your sequence is the problem. So like I suggest in post #8 create a new sequence. Drop your clip onto it and you should see this pop up:

attachment.php


Press yes and your problems are solved.
 

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Make a new Sequence, make sure the ALWAYS ASK option is selected in USER PREFERENCES > EDITING,
32zneqx.png


then drag the source clip onto your timeline. Or change the sequence settings of your current sequence to match the source clip.
 
YESSSS !

Thank you both of you guys sooooo much :)

Just a few last things -

1. When I want to export my project shall i just do it as a standard quicktime conversion, without doing the one where you can select your settings

2. I have already got the project all edited and stuff, so is there any way i can transfer it but so it will be the right settings ?

Thanks again guys

- o0BenMc0o
 
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